Vietnam Women’s Union highlighted activities in August and September 2014

In August 2014, the Central Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) sent delegations to 8 emulation clusters of provinces (emulation clusters for short) to conduct mid-term evaluation of the XI^th National Women’s Congress Resolution implementation (2012-2017 term). In this connection, 8 evaluation workshops were organized by the emulation clusters with the participation of VWU leaders, representatives of the central VWU and WUs of the cluster provinces. At the workshops, participants discussed the results achieved, limitations and challenges facing the Congress Resolution implementation as well as the measures to be undertaken in the 2^nd half of the term.

In general, WUs at provincial/municipal level have basically achieved the targets set by XI^th Congress and made significant changes since the commencement of the term. The performance of commune WUs has been improved; the campaign “Building the family of 5 Without-s and 3 Clean-s” to contribute to the new rural development has been progressing with encouraging results and more practical and efficient models set-up, maintained and replicated; the mobilization of and support for women in production development, practicing savings, sustainable poverty reduction and nurturing happy families have been implemented in various practical forms and have attracted positive response by VWU members and women.

The workshop participants also pointed out the limitations in VWU performance in the first half of the term and a number of measures to be undertaken to push forward the campaign “Building the family of 5 Without-s and 3 Clean-s”, to improve the performance quality of grassroots WU, to enhance capacity of WUs at all levels in monitoring the implementation of and giving social counter-arguments to gender equality and women related laws and policies and to promote female cadre work etc,..

In their remarks at the workshops, VWU leaders recognized the achievements of VWU at all levels for the first half of the term, highlighted VWU priority activities and measures to address arising problems to be undertaken for the rest of the term.

Training for provincial level trainers (TOT) aiming at capacity building for grassroots staff

With the aim of improving the commune-level WUs’ performance, the VWU organized 7 ToT workshops o­n capacity building for commune-level WU staff in 3 regions with the participation of VWU key staff at central and provincial/municipal levels. The training contents focus o­n the roles and functions of the commune WUs (including tasks and responsibilities of heads of commune WUs and WU chapters); roles of commune WUs in implementing the campaign “Building the family of 5 Without-s and 3 Clean-s” to contribute to building a new countryside and civilized urban areas; and their roles in monitoring the implementation of and giving social counter arguments to gender equality related laws and policies.

With participatory approach, the training workshops attracted the participants in sharing information and experiences in implementing VWU activities and suggested solutions to overcome difficulties and challenges. According to the plan, after the training conducted by the central level, provincial WUs will organize ToT for WU staff at district and commune levels and, as a next step, training for heads of WU chapters is to be conducted by either provincial or district staff having received ToT.

Awarding scholarships to bright and poor students o­n the occasion of new school year

On the occasion of the 2014-2015 new school year, VWU leaders attended the school year opening ceremonies and awarded scholarships to secondary school students from disadvantaged backgrounds, having achieved excellent study results in the provinces namely Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Dien Bien, Kien Giang and An Giang (50 scholarships/province, VND 2 million/scholarship).

Awarding scholarshipsis VWU annual activity o­n the occasion of new school year with the aim of encouraging disadvantaged students to overcome difficulties to study better.

Onthis occasion, the Central VWU also held a ceremony to praise 253 students - children of Central VWU staff and employees for their study achievements in the 2013 – 2014 school year. This event was an opportunity not o­nly for encouraging the children to make greater efforts to study, but also for them to share and exchange information, knowledge, experience and life skills.